They may have lost the battle for Israel Folau’s signature but the NRL are doing their darndest to ensure at least one member of his family remains in rugby league.
Sport-hopping Folau’s younger brother John has been included in the inaugural Junior Emerging Queensland Origin squad camp to be run by master coach Wayne Bennett and Maroons mentor Mal Meninga in Brisbane in January.
The 26-strong squad – which will be groomed for Queensland’s 2013 Under-20s Origin team – also includes ex-Maroons forward Antonio Kaufusi’s brother Patrick and North Queensland’s Tariq and Ashton Sims’ sibling Korbin.
There were also plenty of big names in Queensland’s senior Emerging Origin squad unveiled on Friday which will attend the same training camp next month.
Keen to capitalise on Kiwi-born Josh Papalii switching allegiance to Australia, Meninga and Bennett have included the damaging Canberra backrower in a 14-strong senior squad headlined by Dally M player of the year Ben Barba.
Besides Papalii, new faces in the senior squad are Edrick Lee (Canberra), Michael Morgan (Cowboys), Ben Ridge (Gold Coast) and Aidan Guerra (Sydney Roosters) although Gold Coast hooker Matt Srama was a notable absentee.
“In the past few seasons alone the likes of Matt Gillett, Ben Teo, Dave Taylor, Dane Nielsen and Jharal Yow Yeh have made the step from the QAS program into the Origin team,” QRL CEO Robert Moore said.
“There is no doubt that their transition into one of sport’s toughest and most competitive arenas has been helped by their involvement in the QAS Emerging Origin program.”
Moore said both squads would utilise the Queensland Academy of Sport’s “state-of-the-art” facilities at their camps.
The senior Emerging Origin squad will train at the QAS from January 25-27 while the juniors will be from January 17-20.
Senior Queensland Emerging Origin squad: Ben Barba (Bulldogs), Justin O’Neill (Storm), Dale Copley (Broncos), Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly), Andrew McCullough (Broncos), Martin Kennedy (Sydney Roosters), Josh McGuire (Broncos), William Zillman (Titans), Chris McQueen (South Sydney), Josh Papalli (Raiders), Edrick Lee (Raiders), Michael Morgan (Cowboys), Ben Ridge (Titans) and Aidan Guerra (Sydney Roosters).
Junior Queensland Emerging Origin squad: Caleb Timu (Broncos), Corey Oates (Broncos), Chris Grevsmuhl (Cowboys), Hymel Hunt (Titans), Kurt Mann (Melbourne), Ian Riccardi (Penrith), Anthony Milford (Raiders), Travis Peeters (Broncos), Francis Molo (Broncos), Zac Santo (Cowboys), Kierran Moseley (Penrith), Patrick Mago (Raiders), Soape Palau (Broncos), Patrick Kaufusi (Cowboys), Moses Mbye (Bulldogs), Cameron Cullen (Broncos), Brenko Lee (Raiders), Joseph Forrester (Broncos), John Folau (Eels), Billy Brittain (Storm), Ben Hampton (Storm), Luke Keary (South Sydney), Dylan Napa (Sydney Roosters), Korbin Sims (Knights), Lachlan Maranta (Broncos), Aaron Whitchurch (Broncos).
oikee
Guest
What?what?what? no thats wrong, he was seen in queensland, that makes him a queenslander,. close enough, forget the rules, queensland makes the rules for origin. I also see we have the international rights sorted, Origin and the NRL along with test matches are going feral, worldwide. It wont be long before we are the number one code on the planet. Planet oz that is. :)
josh
Guest
Folau and Sims will now be rendered ineligible as a result of the changes to Origin eligibility, yes? i.e. he had not lived in QLD prior to turning 13.
Pot Stirrer
Guest
Have you read everything ive written or are you someone else using a new handle ??? Fair dinkum, i didnt know i was doing my HSC. But i suspect you and Australian rules are one in the same.
Doghouse
Guest
PS You bought up AFL (as you always do) and the expression is "you're here" not your here....
Doghouse
Guest
Gallen racially villified that St george player (when he was 27and captain) that later went to Canterbury and then Gallen denied it...
Doghouse
Guest
is that what happened - how is it that one is playing for a different State..I thought they both grew up south of the Gong... Does Folau rate a genuine berth inb this side or are there other considerations here....
Pot Stirrer
Guest
Funnily enough and now your here, on a RL section to bring AFL in the conversation as you always do.
Australian Rules
Guest
AFL doesn't appear on this page or in the article. Funnily enough, only you have mentioned it.
Dave
Guest
I agree that there is some top class future stars in the Qld squad. There is also some Queenslanders aswell. Fair dinkum. Get some pride.
Pot stirrer
Guest
im so sick of RU and AFl being mentioned it what seems any story .oun RL. The fact is only a handul of players have gone to another code. The emerging squads of NSW and QLD shows the contstant talent being produced. If a player wants to go to another code for the money then i think the RL coommunity should just wish them luck and tell them not to let the door hit them in the arse on the way out. RL keeps making it self look ridiculous by the way we carry on about it. As soon as someone signs elsewhere they should be forgotten by the code and not mentioned in the RL press again. Everyone who leaves seems to want to comeback and if it wasnt for lack of leadership IF would also be back. There are far to many positives about the future and current goings on in league to keep focussing on the negatives. fans love the game of rugby league but the constant dramas are disheartening and only serve to hold the game back.
Bearfax
Guest
Gosh Oikee. Calvin and the Puritans would be proud of you. Cromwell got rid of Christmas because of its naughty pagan affiliations. Trouble with your stance is that we'd have lost half the players in the League who once did the wrong thing. You do recall dont you that Gallen, the present star of Australian RL was a bad boy when he was younger. What happened to forgiveness and letting someone get on with their life after paying their penalty. And I mean what has young Hoppa done. A bit of childish planking, drink driving, not attending a few meetings. Gosh that's bad. I'm sure he should be shot for jay walking. He's had his penalty by having his lucrative contract torn up. A lot of clubs will now be wary and his asking price will be depressed. He wont get the sort of money he was expected now, which surely should be lesson enough. If he doesnt get his act together, his chances of getting back diminish further. The market will decide his punishment Oikee. Lets not be holier than though Calvinist eh.
oikee
Guest
Say NO, no to one year shonkey deals. I will never support a one year deal player. It goes against my judgement as a sensible human being. Amen.
oikee
Guest
Hoppa junior thought he was above the law. that is the problem. He should never be allowed back in the code. The whole idea of the under 20's is no work, no play. Young Hoppa is living off the popularity of his brother. Rugby league is still taking a hit from his father's antics. I think it is time we let Hoppa and his stupidity go, begone you drongo. Even hardcore fans think your a pillack. If his brother comes back only to code hop to union. "SHUT the GATE." It will be the last of the code hoppa's. (yes pun intended) to rugby union. Same applies to Folau's brother, yet i think he is league through and through. If he code hops, we will condemm these suckers from making a penny through league, the future of the islanders are now in there hands. ????
Gaz
Guest
Defamed perhaps.
Bearfax
Guest
Does younger Folau plank in the nude, like the younger Hopoate. Hard to get the press when you've got an older famous brother (and in Jamal Hopoate's case also a famed father)
The Tongue
Guest
What's wrong with 2 brothers representing 2 different states. Just because they're from one family doesn't mean they should play for the same state. Picture this, say if one family has a son that was born in NSW, then the parents get divorced so the single mother who happens to be pregnant moves north of the Tweed to give birth to a 2nd child, while the other child lives with his father in NSW.
eagleJack
Guest
The fact that one day Tariq and Korbin could face off in an Origin series makes a mockery of the entire concept.
oikee
Guest
Some top class youngsters in that squad. Pappalii, Barba and young Falou along with Edrick Lee and Copley who i think could be the pick of the lot. This kid is Greek God like. Then to round it all up, we put the Cherry on top. Cherry Evans.